Description: A plain statue base shaft (w: 0.55 × h: 1.28 × d: 0.53) without moulding, chipped at edges but complete above and below.

Text: Inscribed on two adjoining faces, i to the right, ii to the left. The text of i must have begun on a crowning feature; so perhaps did that of ii.

Letters: i. Letters standard second-third-century forms, av. 0.015. Apex above initial Θ, line 9.

Date: Third century, after 212 (nomenclature)

Findspot: Aphrodisias: Hadrianic Baths, East Court: found 'dans le 3e' (corrected to 4e in fair copy) 'entrec(olonnement) du portique nord'; 'Dans le 3e entrecolonnement du portique N(ord)' (Boulanger).

Original location: Hadrianic Baths, East Court

Last recorded location: Findspot

English translation

Translation source: Jones, 1981

(i): Whereas) the most illustrious city of the Ephesians in every case honors those who have shown zeal with the testimonies that are fitting and appropriate to their worth; and whereas it rejoices in the advantages of all people as if they were its own, (considering that) what other cities have by way of distinguished men are especial blessings with regard to good repute; and whereas it allots a particular degree of inclination to goodwill to the most illustrious city of Aphrodisias, with which it is on terms tending to the interchange of affection; and whereas because of this it has often honored Aurelius Achilles, who has undertaken the training of the body, and is most distinguished in athletics, and yet most irreproachable in his manner of life and his behaviour, so that all existing spiritual and physical excellence is combined in him, both in past contests which he adorned by competing conspicuously and with all courage, and especially in the competition of the Olympic games, where, when the city urged him as if it were his ancestral one to proceed to the most advanced of contests and the category of men, consenting and being persuaded by the encouragement he defeated his opponents and bound on the crown of wild olive with such glory that his courage and zeal were counted among the most reputed of contests; For these reasons it seemed right that the testimony of these matters should not be confined merely to the knowledge of those attending and those who were present in the stadium on the occasion, for moreover he should be still further commended to his ancestral city by means of this decree

(ii): .... And if you wish to proclaim ... of Varianus ... I defeated him and hold the crown of olive; or if you wish to extol the youth (Arion?) superior to grown men, against him too Zeus gave me the olive. In all the stadia of the nations ... I am as great as none of my compatriots (ever) claimed to excel (?); and the number of crowns . . . of others (?) to the stone portrait, my image. For often have I won the Pythia and the divine Olympia, defeating my rivals, glorious in repute, with no man contesting my victory so as to confront a second time a contest with him against whom he has appealed (?)

English translation

Translation source: Roueché, PPA

(i): [ - - ] since the most splendid city of the Ephesians always welcomes those who have shown zeal with testimonies that are fitting and just for their worth, and takes a share of pleasure in the advantages of all (men) as if they were her own, and (since she considers that) whatever outstanding (advantages) accrue to the good reputation of other cities from distinguished men, these are matters of (?general) good fortune; (10) and since she assigns an especial portion of her inclination towards goodwill to the most splendid city of the Aphrodisians, towards which she has many and outstanding justifications for the exchange of affection. For these reasons, (the city) has welcomed Aurelius Achilles - - who has both undertaken the training of the body, and is also most noble in training, and most dignified in his way of life and his conduct, so that in him (20) all virtue of body and soul is blended - - (has welcomed him) often, both in previous contests, which he adorned, having competed impressively and with all courage, and especially in the contest of the Olympia, because, when the city encouraged him - - as if it were his own fatherland - - to proceed to the ultimate competition, and to the category of men (30), he listened, and was persuaded by the encouragement, and defeated his opponents, and bound on the (crown of) olive with such glory that his (?display of) courage and eagerness are to be numbered among the most distinguished of contests. For these reasons it was resolved that the testimony about these events should not extend only as far as the knowledge of those who were present and (40) happened to be in the stadium at the time, but by means of this decree he should be commended even more to his fatherland.

(ii): [?a couplet naming Achilles] but if you proclaim [?the prowess] of Varianus in verse, I hold the olive having defeated him; or if you praise the ephebe Arion, (superior) to grown men, against him too Zeus granted me the olive (scil. wreath). In all the stadia of the nations [ ?ask] - - I am as great as none of my fellow-citizens [was able to] surpass. ι The throng of other crowns proclaims to you my fame, by means of (?or in) a stone image and my likeness. For I often have Pythia, and divine Olympia, defeating (scil. my) rivals with glorious fame, while none of the men who have struggled (scil. with me) for victory has been summoned to confront a second contest (?).

German translation

Translation source: Merkelbach and Stauber, 1998

(ii): (. . . ob du den Athleten X nennst . . . ) oder ob du von der gewalt des Varianus redesr: durch Abstand-Halten habe ich diese Kranz aus ölbaumblättern gewonnen; oder ob du rühmend nennst ihn, den wir den besten der Männer mannten: Auch gegen i9hn hat Zeus mit den Kranz gegeben. Auf allen heiligen Sportplätzen der Völker bin ich ein solcher, dass kein Bürger meiner Vaterstadt sagen wird, es gäbe einen Trefflicheren. Die Menge der übrigen Kränze sagt dir meinen Ruhm mit dem steinern Standbild und meiner Figur; denn oft war ich Sieger bei den Pythien und den olympischen Zeusspeilen, indem ich die Gegner besiegte, glänzend im Ruhm, und keiner der Menschen, dir mit mir um den Sieg gekämpft hatte, hat es gewagt, zum zweitenmal gegen mich in einem Revanchekampf aufzutreten.

French translation

Translation source: Strasser, 2021

(ii): - - - ou si tu parles de la force - - - de Varianus, (sache que) grâce à ma prudence, j’ai remporté cette couronne d’olivier; ou si tu nommes l’éphèbe Arion (meilleur) d’entre les mortels, contre lui aussi Zeus m’a décerné la couronne d’olivier. Sur tous les stades sacrés des ethnè, je suis celui dont aucun citoyen de ma patrie ne pourra dire qu’il a un égal. La multitude de mes autres couronnes proclame ma gloire, avec ma statue de pierre et mon portrait. Car maintes fois j’ai remporté les Pythia et les Olympia de Zeus en venant à bout de mes adversaires avec une gloire éclatante, et aucun de ceux qui ont combattu contre moi pour la couronne n’a osé me provoquer pour une revanche dans un second combat.

Images

Fig. 1. Face i (M. Roueché, 1972)

Fig. 2. Face i (M. Roueché, 1989)

Fig. 3. Face ii (M. Roueché, 1989)

Fig. 4. Face ii (M. Roueché, 1977)

Fig. 5. Boulanger, Notebook A, page 75

Fig. 6. Boulanger, Notebook A, page 76

Fig. 7. Boulanger, Notebook B, Page 25

Fig. 8. Boulanger, Notebook B, Page 27

Fig. 9. Boulanger, Notebook B, Page 29